After the Federal Court rejected the Kedah state government's application for leave to appeal in the case concerning the gambling ban, the PAS Ulama Council has further extended the issue to the electoral arena, calling on Muslim voters to use their votes to bring about a change of government in order to achieve the goal of a total ban on gambling.
The PAS Ulama Council stated in a statement that, since the court has ruled that gambling-related matters fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government, the actions that the Kedah state government can take within the current legal framework are already quite limited.
The council thus believes that, since the regulation of gambling involves federal law and jurisdiction, the responsibility for changing related policies now falls to the voters.
The statement emphasized that Muslim voters must realize that their votes not only determine which government is in power, but will also influence the future direction of gambling policies.
“The legal root of the gambling issue lies in the federal law, therefore, the relevant responsibility has now shifted to the hands of voters.”
The PAS Ulama Council further linked voting behavior to religious responsibility, stating that in such circumstances, voting is not only a democratic right but also involves fulfilling the religious duty of 'enjoining good and forbidding evil' (Amar Makruf Nahi Mungkar).
The council ultimately explicitly called on Muslim voters, under religious rules